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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

"Hungry Heart" by Bruce Springsteen

Top 10 Alert!

Song#: 0397
Date: 11/08/1980
Debut: 30Peak: 5
Weeks: 18
Genre: Rock

Pop Bits: Although he already had released an album considered one of the best ever ("Born to Run") and had tons of media attention and exposure, Springsteen still had not had a significant chart hit. The epic title track to "Born to Run" was his best outing at #23. But that change when his album "The River" came out. The double-LP boasted rock songs rooted in the 50s and 60s where the emphasis shifted from epic tales to more concise pop-leaning tunes. This first single exemplified this and it finally became his first Top 10 hit. "The River" also became his first #1 album.

ReduxReview: Even though I loved "Born to Run" and this song, I still wasn't on the Springsteen bandwagon yet. Not sure why. Oddly, it took his next album, the very stark and acoustic "Nebraska," to get me on The Boss train. I've been a steady fan since. This song is just terrific. The old-time rock sound updated in a modern Spector-ish way is just great and still works today.

ReduxRating: 8/10

Trivia: Double Shot! 1) Springsteen would end up having 12 Top 10 hits on the chart but no #1's. However, as a songwriter he hit #1 when Manfred Mann hit that spot in 1976 with Springsteen's "Blinded By the Light." 2) Springsteen originally wrote "Hungry Heart" at the request of Joey Ramone for the Ramones to record. However, because songs he gave away were chart successes (like The Pointer Sisters' #2 "Fire"), he kept it for himself and it got him into the Top 10 for the first time.